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Friday, February 28, 2014

Title: She Is Not InvisibleAuthor: Marcus SedwickSeries: Stand AlonePublished By: Roaring Books (April 22, 2014, original date October 3, 2013)Source: Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)Genre: YA MysteryMy Rating: 3 StarsBook Description:Laureth Peak's father has taught her to look for recurring events, patterns, and numbers--a skill at which she's remarkably talented. Her secret: She is blind. But when her father goes missing, Laureth and her 7-year-old brother Benjamin are thrust into a mystery that takes them to New York City where surviving will take all her skill at spotting the amazing, shocking, and sometimes dangerous connections in a world full of darkness. She Is Not Invisible is an intricate puzzle of a novel that sheds a light on the delicate ties that bind people to each other.

There were so many concepts and ideas in this book that truly made it not only unique, but fascinating. The whole idea that coincidences are not just mere chance but fate, completely made my mind whirl and think. Having the what if's of life be something completely (not) unknown and calculated was something to ponder and process.

To think that one's life could be so easily explained and planned is something I am not sure how I feel about. Does fate really exist or is there a path already set out for us and no matter what certain things will happen regardless of which road we travel down, it's a little crazy to think and yes, a little sad too. Is nothing ever chance?

To say I have mixed feelings about this read is an understatement. I can't say for sure whether I loved it or hated it. It was....different. It was strange and even a little far out there but some how, that actually made it appealing and made me want to read it all the more.

The only thing truly disappointing with the story was the simple fact that with all the build up, all the theories, all the coincidences and chances and things that might have been, then there was, well, nothing. The story sort of ended as if the author wasn't quite sure what to do with the story. Like he wasn't quite sure whether he believed in the father's ideas as well. While things did happen, things didn't happen and that was a little off putting to say the least. What about all the coincidences? What about all the what if's?

At any rate I have to give the author credit for creating something unusual and out there.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by an outside source. I was not compensated for this review.*

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Title: Under the Never SkyAuthor: Veronica RossiSeries: Book One in the Under the Never Sky TrilogyPublished By: Harper Collins (Jan. 3, 2012)Source: PurchasedGenre: YA FantasyMy Rating: 4 Stars!Book Description:Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered.This was worse.Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland--known as The Death Shop--are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild--a savage--and her only hope of staying alive. A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile--everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

I read the prequel to this series and loved it so much that with that and the fact that I have seen so many great reviews on it, I just knew I had to start this one.

Sadly, it was super hard for me to get into. Way more hard than I was expecting it to be, which was odd because like I mentioned, I loved the prequel but the beginning of this was way different than the prequel. I wasn't sure I liked Aria or the world she came from. I wanted more about the Outsiders, more Roar and Liv. And okay, it might have been my own fault too, I knew this wasn't Roar and Liv's story but I couldn't help but feel cheated that I wasn't getting it either.

Fantasy has never been my thing, with few exceptions of course, and when I first started this, it felt too fantasy to me. There was so much to learn and so much was already being dumped on me that I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed by it all. In fact with the technology in the Pod it almost felt futurist, way different from the almost primitive world of the Outsiders that I had grown use to from the in the prequel. I was relieved when it was Perry's turn to narrate and we were once again thrown back into the real world, the one ravaged from the aether in the sky, his world.

If I am being honest, I almost gave up on it and didn't even continue, but I didn't, I hung in there because I just knew there had to be something great about it, there were too many reviews and recommendations that said so.

I didn't love this book.

At first.

And then, then I did.

I am so glad I didn't give up on this one. I did have to set it aside for a day and come back but once I did, I really warmed up to the story line, the characters and everything that was going on.

And I really like Aria, I wasn't sure if I would but I did and of course, I already knew I liked Perry and Roar.

Now, I am excited to start the second book and get sucked right back into the story. This really is something extraordinary that just sort of sneaks up on you and before you know it, you love it and want more.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by an outside source. I was not compensated for this review.*

Today we have something different for you. Instead of just revealing a cover we are asking YOU to help us choose WHICH cover to use! Mine to Spell by Janeal Falor is the second book in the Mine series. This is a YA fantasy and it is scheduled to release May 5th, 2014.

Be sure to stop by the authors website on March 6th for the final reveal of which cover was chosen!

MINE TO SPELL Description:

Cynthia has always hidden from her father’s hexes behind her older
sister. When her family gains independence unheard of for women,
she’s relieved that her days of harsh punishments are over. But as
her seventeenth birthday approaches—the typical age to be sold to a
new master—death threats endanger her sisters. She now faces two
options: run or meet society’s expectations.

For once, Cynthia isn’t going to let her older sister shield her
from the problem. She’s going to prove to herself, her sisters, and
society that her family isn’t a threat to their traditions. She
willingly chooses to be purchased by a new master. A bold step that
takes her somewhere she never thought she would go and to a man she
might possibly fall in love with. With his help, she may
just find a way to save her sisters while discovering how to
stand up for herself. If she lives long enough.

About the author:Amazon bestselling author Janeal Falor lives in Utah with her husband and three children. In her non-writing time she teaches her kids to make silly faces, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and attempts to cultivate a garden even when half the things she plants die. When it's time for a break she can be found taking a scenic drive with her family or drinking hot chocolate.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

It is a weekly chance to let others know what you are most looking forward to releasing in the upcoming weeks.

This week I am excited about Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn. I love Nyrae's work, she never lets me down and this just looks amazing.

Book Description:

Before, Brynn had a group of best friends, a loving boyfriend, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And after…she had none.

When Brynn lost the boyfriend who never loved her, the friends who feel she betrayed their trust, and the new life just beginning to grow inside her, she believes her future is as empty as her body. But then Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more. She meets some new friends at the local community center, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of.

But can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?

This is a Young Adult title.

This is her first YA book in a while so I am really looking forward to it.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Title: Best Kind of BrokenAuthor: Chelsea FineSeries: Book One in the Finding Fate SeriesPublished By: Forever (March 4, 2014)Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)Genre: NA Contemporary RomanceMy Rating: 4.5 Stars!Book Description:Pixie and Levi haven't spoken in nearly a year when they find themselves working―and living―at the same inn in the middle of nowhere. Once upon a time, they were childhood friends. But that was before everything went to hell. And now things are... awkward.All they want to do is avoid each other, and their past, for as long as possible. But now that they're forced to share a bathroom, and therefore a shower, keeping their distance from one another becomes less difficult than keeping their hands off each other. Welcome to the hallway of awkward tension and sexual frustration, folks. Get comfy. It’s going to be a long summer.

This is a gorgeous story. With beautiful characters, heart breaking loss and filled with so much love and hope it made me cry numerous times over. It is everything I expect and have come to love about Fine's writing. I knew I was going to like this, I even suspected I would love it but I didn't expect how much it would affect me and move me and just fill me.Pixie (Sarah) has to be one of my most favorite characters. She is so very strong, so very loving and everything I think a person should be. She is beautifully broken and as the title suggests, broken in the best possible way. The way that, when put back together, you are stronger and better than you ever where before you were shattered. Before everything changed. Sometimes the best kind of growth and strength comes from those things that try to pull us down and defeat us. It is a test of our character, our strength and our will to survive and overcome and Pixie succeeded with flying colors. Levi (Leaves) is everything a good friend, brother, and person should be. He isn't a bad boy, instead his story is all about being the hero, and to Pixie, a hero in every sense of the word. One who is lost for awhile and one who is sad and guilty and heartbroken but also one that still has so much strength and love and goodness inside of him that you just know it is going to break through the gray and the storm and shine once again. Someone we all want to know and love and have in our lives. Someone who makes us stronger and a makes us a better person just because we know them and love them.Yes this story was gorgeous. With secondary characters every bit as good as the real deal and every single one of them are going to stick with me for a very long time to come. They found a place in my heart and in my very soul. They are beautiful and real and the best kind of fiction you can read, the kind that makes an impact on you and never lets you forget them or their sweet, kind messages along the way. They inspire you and fill you with the best kind of hope.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by an outside source. I was not compensated for this review.*

Monday, February 24, 2014

I am excited to have Beth here today to tell us a little about her new book and about the life of a ghost.Thanks Beth!

*Amazon*Barnes and Noble*Book Description:If you died, could you live with your regrets?When Kendra’s mother drags her to a creepy Paris cemetery for work, the last person Kendra expects to see is Amber, her best friend who moved away three years earlier. Amber helped Kendra through a dark time, and Amber’s departure was just one more loss for Kendra. Amber was Kendra’s confidante but it turns out Amber failed to share her biggest secret: she was dead.Amber never planned to disclose her true identity to Kendra, but a boy’s life is at stake. Amber is suddenly unable to connect with troubled kids and she needs Kendra to console Pierrot, a despondent boy who holds the answers to the suspicious death of his brother, Loic. Although Loic needs closure to cross over, the truth about his death might impact everyone’s future, including Kendra’s, since she has fallen for Pierrot, the mysterious boy and murder suspect.But dead or alive, there is no going back…Getting a Life, Even If You’re Dead is on sale for only $0.99 until March 1! About the Author:

When Beth isn’t traveling for her job as an event planner, or tracing her ancestry roots through Ireland, she’s at home in Wisconsin working on her next novel. She enjoys bouncing ideas off her husband Mark, and her cats Quigley, Frankie, and Sammy.Connect with Beth: Website Twitter Facebook

If I Were a Ghost, Living in Paris…In my book, Getting a Life, Even If You’re Dead, Loic attempts to solve the mystery behind his death. The fact that he is dead makes it easy for him to access the crime scene and evidence. Of course if I were a ghost, I would secretly help the police solve crimes, along with other worthwhile endeavors. But like Loic, who copes with his death by playing pranks and haunting people, I’d also want to have a bit of fun. Here are the top five things I would do as a ghost living in Paris.1) Research books. As a ghost, I would still be writing books. I would have carte blanche access to everything I would need to conduct research. If I wrote a book about a Parisian chef, voila, I could pop into the famous Maxim’s restaurant and shadow a chef for a week. For a book about haute couture in Paris, I could strut down a catwalk and hang out at photo shoots with super models. And I could get the scoop at police stations and pen the best crime novel ever.2) Admire the Mona Lisa up close. The first time I saw the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, I couldn’t believe how small the painting is for being the most famous painting in history. At that time, I was fortunate that I could walk right up to the painting and study every speck of paint and fine line. Now, she’s enclosed in bullet-proof glass and a wooden barrier prohibits you from getting within five feet of her.3) Visit tourist attractions after closing time. Not only would I visit the Mona Lisa, but all the museums after they closed to avoid the overwhelming crowds. During the summer, the lines for the Eiffel Tower are daunting. You have to fight throngs of tourists to catch a glimpse of the city. I would stand at the top of the Eiffel Tower, gazing out at the boats along the Seine and Sacré Coeur Basilica in the distance, my only companion the faint sounds of the city below.4) Sleep in a different bed every night. Even though as a ghost I probably wouldn’t need to sleep, I would stay somewhere different every night. After all, I could finally afford to live in Paris. I would spend one night in Marie Antoinette’s bedroom at the Palace of Versailles. Another night at the prestigious Hotel Ritz, where I would stay in the Hemingway Suite, named after the famous writer who resided there for years. And I would have no problem finding spots the other 363 days of the year.5) Shop till I dropped. I would hit all the haute couture shops and try on Chanel gowns. Then I’d be off to Cartier for some jewels. Of course I would return them all in a timely manner, after I sashayed down the steps of the Louvre in a red gown, like Audrey Hepburn did in Funny Face.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Title: Knight AssassinAuthor: Rima JeanSeries: Stand Alone (Possible Sequel)Published By: Entangled Teen (March 4, 2014)Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Author (in exchange for an honest review)Genre: YA FantasyMy Rating: 3 StarsBook Description:Seventeen-year-old Zayn has special powers she cannot control—powers that others fear and covet. Powers that cause the Templar Knights to burn Zayn’s mother at the stake for witchcraft. When a mysterious stranger tempts Zayn to become the first female member of the heretical Assassins, the chance to seek her revenge lures her in. She trains to harness her supernatural strength and agility, and then enters the King of Jerusalem's court in disguise with the assignment to assassinate Guy de Molay, her mother’s condemner. But once there, she discovers Earic Goodwin, the childhood friend who still holds her heart, among the knights—and his ocean-blue eyes don’t miss a thing. Will vengeance be worth the life of the one love she has left?

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up but anything having to do with a girl that is fierce, defies the rules and hello, is an assassin, is an okay read in my book.

I was worried in the beginning that this may have come off as a knock off from another really great series about a kick butt girl assassin but after the first few chapters I was happy to see that I had nothing to worry about. This story had a totally different tone to it and some twists and turns I didn't even see coming and that ending? The ending sort of through me and had retelling from a beloved childhood story written all over it.

Now, those are all the positives but sadly, now we have to move on to some of the not so positives, actually, there really aren't any negatives more just the fact that as much as I wanted to love this book and love Zayn, for whatever reason I just didn't. I had a hard time getting completely wrapped up in her story and I have no idea why. The writing was great, the storyline was great, I just wasn't feeling it and I have a feeling it was entirely my own fault. I had just read a fantastic book and may have just started this one a little too soon to be able to really appreciate it when I was still thinking about the last one.

Honestly, because I did like it and the writing was good, I would definitely pick up the next book (if there is one) and give it another try because overall I think this could be a really good series.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by an outside source, I was not compensated for this review.*

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Title: Til DeathAuthor: Kate EvangelistaSeries: Book One in the Fractured Souls SeriesPublished By: Entangled Teen (March 4, 2014)Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)Genre: YA FantasyMy Rating: 2.5 StarsBook Description:Sixteen-year old Selena Fallon is a dreamer. Not a day-dreamer, but an I-see-the-future kind of dreamer. Normally this is not a problem as she has gotten pretty good at keeping her weird card hidden from everyone in her small town. Except from her best friend Kyle and her grandparents, of course. But when Selena dreams of her own rather bloody death, things get a little too freaky even for her.Enter Dillan Sloan. Selena has seen the new guy in a different dream, and he is even more droolworthy in person. Beyond the piercing blue eyes and tousled dark hair, there is something else that draws her to him. Something…electric. Unfortunately, Dillan makes it more than clear that he does not feel the same. They just met, so why would he act like he hates her?When Dillan and Selena are forced together one weekend to work on a school project, Selena prepares to be ignored as usual. But when she stumbles across a few undead in the backyard, Dillan comes to her rescue and reveals a whole lot more. Not only is he part of a society that hunts otherworldly creatures…she is too. And she is being targeted by a force bigger and darker than anything she ever imagined. Despite her death dream, Selena is not going to give up easy, especially when she discovers that Dillan might not actually hate her after all.

I am not going to lie or even pretend that I didn't first pick this one up because the synopsis was intriguing (although it really is). I picked it up because the cover is simply gorgeous and so eye catching that I couldn't resist it.

This had a really interesting storyline and I liked that it combined a paranormal element with a mythical one as well.

That creatures were real, that the supernatural was always lurking around every corner and no one was who them seemed to be.

And while I really did enjoy the storyline, I just wasn't in love with the characters.

I really wanted to like Dillan but the truth of the matter is, he was kind of an asshat. He had all those typical qualities we like in a bad boy but it came off as more harsh and uncaring than what I like to see. Where were his redeeming qualities that showed his heart of gold?

To be fair he did, in the end have some of those qualities but by then it was almost too little too late and I couldn't warm up to him after all the stuff he did said and showed and it just wasn't enough to win my heart and that just made me sad.

In short, I wasn't engaged with anything. I didn't care one way or another if Dillan and Selena ended up together, if they figured each other out or even if they saved the world (okay, the town).

The only thing that kept me reading was that I needed to know what Selena was because I was a little curious about it but again, I found myself skimming the pages to see if I could find out and be done with it.

I know, not very nice but there you have it.

This one just wasn't for me I think but does it show promise? I think it could to the right audience and I don't want to discourage anyone from giving this one a try because you just never know. Just because I didn't love it, doesn't mean you won't.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Friday, February 21, 2014

I am so excited to be a part of this tour today because this is something that any lover of time travel really needs to pick up and read. I really truly loved this story, in fact, if truth be told I loved it way more than I was expecting and I was already expecting something good, Candace at CBB Book Promotions always promotes great reads and I have come to trust her completely.

This one didn't let me down either.Make sure and check out all the tour stops because there are going to be some great interviews and guest posts as well as the awesome giveaway.

Title: Butterman (Time) Travel Inc

Author: PK Hrezo

Series: Book One

Published: November 12, 2013

Source: Copy Provided by the Tour in exchange for an honest review

Genre: YA Time Travel

Book Description:

It’s the year 2069 and even though eighteen-year-old Bianca Butterman is heir to the family biz, she may never see the day her time-craft license becomes official. When a government agent starts nosing around the operation, Butterman Travel, Inc. gets stuck with a full audit—part of a government take-over scheme to shut down all private time travel agencies. Enter former boy band superstar, Tristan Helms, desperate to retrieve a lost item from his past and willing to pay triple fare for a time-trip to get there, and Bianca has to find a way to complete the job and return home before the government gets wind and shuts down the family biz for good.

Welcome to Butterman Travel, Incorporated; a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. We’re a family owned and operated business with one hundred years of experience. A place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first.

Anxious to attend some special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds?

You’ve come to the right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services; including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted operations, and personal trip guides. *Terms and conditions do apply

Use our Web conferencing to contact our frontline reservation specialist, Bianca Butterman, who will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the most of your time trip.

We look forward to serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.

PK Hrezo is a native Floridian whose life could easily be a Jimmy Buffet song. She shares her home with her firefighter husband and their two children. When not creating characters and their worlds, PK can be found at her other job of rearranging passenger’s itineraries for a major international airline. The only hobbies she loves more than traveling, are reading, writing, and music, and when the four are combined she exists in total bliss.She blogs regularly at PK HREZO: Fearless Fiction http://pk-hrezo.blogspot.com/

I love a good time travel romance, throw in some really great detailed world building that is completely believable and so vivid you feel like you are there, and you have one heck of a fun read.

I know what you are thinking, you get all of that based on the synopsis? But don’t' let that synopsis fool you, this really was a great read, so much so that I ended up reading it all in one sitting. There is just something about the writing that sucks you in and makes you really see the future. Makes it so believable that you don't even question whether or not time travel is possible and it does it all without weighing you down with too much jargon you don't care about or understand. We get bits here and there as needed to help paint the picture. A paint by numbers if you will in storybook format.

Bianca and Tristan were a fun pair to see together. They couldn't be more different, one a rich golden boy and ex band boy, the other working for her family business and darker in personality (think emo or grunge in our day, in future she is labeled a bettie). It was fun seeing them work together and really start to rub off on each other. They were a really good ying and yang combo.

What was more surprising about this read more than anything else, was the fact that music plays a really big role in it. Not just their modern day music but our “classic rock” (think Woodstock here) as well. It was a fun little twist to the story that I wasn't expecting and was a nice touch. It was something that all of us can relate to because we either all love the music ourselves or have at least heard about it and recognize it from parents or grandparents.

All in all this was a great read that was well thought out, well executed and one that I would happily pick up the sequel to.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Title: City of JasmineAuthor: Deanna RaybournSeries: Stand Alone (although there is a prequel novella)Published By: Harlequin (February 25, 2014)Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)Genre: Historical Romance/MysteryMy Rating: 4 Stars!Book Description:Set against the lush, exotic European colonial outposts of the 1920s, New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn delivers the captivating tale of one woman who embarks upon a journey to see the world—and ends up finding intrigue, danger and a love beyond all reason. Famed aviatrix Evangeline Starke never expected to see her husband, adventurer Gabriel Starke, ever again. They had been a golden couple, enjoying a whirlwind courtship amid the backdrop of a glittering social set in prewar London until his sudden death with the sinking of the Lusitania. Five years later, beginning to embrace life again, Evie embarks upon a flight around the world, collecting fame and admirers along the way. In the midst of her triumphant tour, she is shocked to receive a mysterious—and recent—photograph of Gabriel, which brings her ambitious stunt to a screeching halt. With her eccentric aunt Dove in tow, Evie tracks the source of the photo to the ancient City of Jasmine, Damascus. There she discovers that nothing is as it seems. Danger lurks at every turn, and at stake is a priceless relic, an artifact once lost to time and so valuable that criminals will stop at nothing to acquire it—even murder. Leaving the jewelled city behind, Evie sets off across the punishing sands of the desert to unearth the truth of Gabriel's disappearance and retrieve a relic straight from the pages of history. Along the way, Evie must come to terms with the deception that parted her from Gabriel and the passion that will change her destiny forever...

Raybourn is one of my most favorite authors of historical, well, anything and when I saw that her latest book was going to be set in the 1920's (another favorite for me) I knew it was going to be a must read.I started with the prequel and instantly fell in love with the characters, setting and of course Raybourn's writing. She truly is a genius with description, mystery and most of all a sweet endearing romance that isn't the main focus of the story. She lets the mystery and characters take over and the beautiful world she has created even more so. With just enough rich detail to transport you right into the story and enough mystery and intrigue to keep you eagerly turning the pages. This story did not disappoint. Evie and Gabriel did not disappoint. Once again we not only get great characters like we have come to expect from Raybourn but some pretty amazing secondary characters as well. Aunt Dove and her crazy parrot (yeah for crazy birds in Raybourn's stories) were so much fun and added some seriously good feisty humorous moments in the story, not that Evie wasn't feisty because let me tell you, this is one heroine you are going to love. Unlike in the prequel she is not naïve anymore nor is she completely innocent. She has grown up to be quite the strong capable woman and she doesn't let anyone push her around, not even Gabriel. I don't want to say too much more about this other than there is lots of action, humor, romance and mystery. Like all of Raybourn's work this is just something you need to pick up for yourself and read because you are going to love it. Her work always transports you back in time, into another place, another world and another lifetime. Her rich detail to historical events, her action packed scenes, her sweet romance and her feisty heroines will be bound to suck you in and refuse to let you go and the best part about it all is that you won't want it to.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by an outside source, I was not compensated for this review.*

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I am a full time mom and avid reader. When I am not playing dress up or chasing down lost toys and wrestling with the never ending pile of laundry, I read. Actually, I read whenever I get the chance. I love many different genres and would have a hard time choosing just one favorite book. And yes I really am obsessed with books, in fact I might be a book hoarder. Thankfully I have a Kindle and no one is the wiser to my vastly growing collection of books.